This invention relates generally to semiconductor manufacture, and specifically to an apparatus, to a method, and to a system for molding semiconductor components, such as plastic packages, BGA devices and chip scale packages.
Many types of semiconductor components include a molded portion. For example, a conventional plastic semiconductor package includes a semiconductor die encapsulated in a molded plastic body. Typically, the semiconductor package also includes a substrate, such as a metal or organic leadframe, that is attached to the die, and wire bonded to bond pads on the die. During fabrication of the package, a transfer molding process can be used to mold the package body to the substrate to encapsulate the die and wire bonds. Transfer molding processes are also used to form molded portions of other types of semiconductor components, such as BGA devices and chip scale packages.
For performing a transfer molding process, a molding apparatus includes a heated mold cavity, and a pot which holds a preform of molding compound. During the transfer molding process the preform is transferred from the pot into the mold cavity. The mold cavity determines the size, shape and surface finish of the molded portion of the component. Runners and gates in flow communication with the pot and the mold cavity provide a conduit for transferring the molding compound from the pot to the mold cavity. In addition, a plunger can be used to compress the preform of molding compound held in the pot, and to generate a pressure for injecting the molding compound through the runners and gates into the mold cavity.
In the past, the surfaces of the mold cavities, gates and runners have been plated to provide non stick, wear-resistant surfaces for removing the molded component, and for removing excess molding compound following the molding process. The plated surfaces also resist wear from the movement of the abrasive molding compound. Typical plating materials include electroplated chrome, and ion implanted titanium nitride.
A recently developed molding technique uses release films on the mold cavities to release the molded components from the mold cavities following the molding process. The release films comprise thin sheets of a polymer material such as polyester, polymethylpentene or polyimide. U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,477 to Hotta et al., assigned to Nitto Denko Corporation of Osaka, Japan, describes such a molding technique.
One problem with the release film technique is that the release film near the pot of the molding apparatus can become wrinkled by the shape and movement of the mold preform and the plunger. The wrinkled release film can pull away from the mold cavity and cause quality problems with the molded component. For example, the wrinkled release film can cause surface deformities and abnormalities in the shape of the molded component. In addition to wrinkling the release film, the molding compound can also flow under the release film, again adversely affecting the quality of the molded component.
In addition to being placed on the surfaces of the mold cavities, the preform of molding compound can also be pre-wrapped in the release film. Such a technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,384 to Miyajima, which is assigned to Apic Yamada Corporation of Nagano, Japan.
This pre-wrapping technique has not been utilized extensively in a production environment. Accordingly it is not a mature technology, and there are quality issues associated with its use. In addition, the pre-wrapped preforms are relatively expensive, and the technique can be relatively expensive to perform.
The present invention is directed to a method, apparatus and system for molding semiconductor components in which the preforms do not require pre-wrapping in release films. Also with the present invention, the release films are protected from wrinkling, and the molding compound is prevented from separating the release films from the mold cavities. The quality of the molded semiconductor components is thus improved.
In accordance with the present invention, a molding apparatus, a method and a system for molding semiconductor components are provided. In an illustrative embodiment, the apparatus, method and system are configured to mold plastic semiconductor packages to lead frames. Alternately, the apparatus, method and system can be configured to mold other semiconductor components, such as BGA devices and chip scale packages to other types of substrates.
The molding apparatus includes a first mold chase, and an opposing second mold chase. The first mold chase includes a plurality of mold cavities configured to receive release films, and a plurality of air pressure openings in flow communication with the mold cavities. The second mold chase includes a plurality of mold cavities configured for mating engagement with the mold cavities on the first mold chase. In addition, the second mold chase includes runners and gates in flow communication with the mold cavities. The mold chases are movable between an open position, in which the mold cavities are spaced apart, and a closed position in which the mold cavities are clamped together.
The first mold chase also includes a movable pot, and a movable plunger configured to inject a preform of molding compound from the pot, through the runners and the gates, and into the mold cavities. The movable pot is mounted for reciprocal movement in a rectangular opening in the first mold chase that includes chamfered surfaces along opposing edges thereof.
In the open position of the molding apparatus, the movable pot is spaced from the chamfered surfaces, such that the release films can be placed into the mold cavities, and overlapped onto the chamfered surfaces. The release films can comprise generally rectangular sheets of a polymer material such as polyester, polymethlpentene, polyimide or polytetrafluoroethylene. Each release film can be configured to cover multiple cavities corresponding to multiple die mounting sites on a lead frame.
In the closed position of the molding apparatus, the second mold chase moves the movable pot such that a clamping surface on the pot clamps the release films to the chamfered surfaces on the first mold chase. This arrangement prevents the release films from being wrinkled by the plunger as it moves through the pot. In addition, the release films seal against the chamfered surfaces, such that molding compound cannot seep between the release films and the surfaces of the mold cavities.
To perform the method of the invention, the molding apparatus is provided with the first mold chase, and the second mold chase as described above. With the molding apparatus open, the release films are placed over the mold cavities, and on the chamfered surfaces of the opening in the first mold chase. In addition, the lead frames are placed between the mold chases, such that each die on the lead frames aligns with mating mold cavities on the mold chases. Also with the apparatus open, a vacuum directed through the air pressure openings retains the release films in the mold cavities.
The molding apparatus is then closed, such that the mold chases contact one another, and the movable pot clamps the release films to the chamfered surfaces. In the closed position, actuation of the plunger forces the preform of molding compound through the runners and gates, and into the mold cavities. The molding apparatus can then be opened and the molded components ejected from the mold cavities and separated from the release films. Positive air pressure directed through the air pressure openings can be used to facilitate release of the molded components from the mold cavities.
The system includes the molding apparatus mounted to a transfer molding press. The system also includes a plunger drive mechanism for moving the plunger through the movable pot, and a pot drive mechanism for moving the movable pot in the chamfered opening. In an illustrative embodiment the pot drive mechanism comprises a plurality of springs for biasing the movable pot into the open position. Alternately the pot drive mechanism can comprise a hydraulic cylinder, or a camming mechanism operably associated with the movable pot. The system also includes a clamping mechanism for clamping the first mold chase and the second mold chase together in the closed position, and sources of vacuum and pressurized air in flow communication with the air pressure openings.